Uranus and/or Neptune Lab ideas

[nmsurobert]

I teach high school astronomy. I have been searching the interwebz for a lab or "meaningful" activity related to uranus or neptune, and have come up empty handed. I have found several lab manuals from different universities and I'm beginning to think that such a lab or activity does not exist.

Does anyone have any materials or ideas on what I could do for these two planets? even if its "higher level" stuff, id love to see it.

 

[Drakkith]

What kind of equipment do the students have access to? Do they have access to telescopes and related equipment?

I have found several lab manuals from different universities and I'm beginning to think that such a lab or activity does not exist.

Did those lab manuals lack activities regarding Uranus, or were they too advanced/required equipment you didn't have access too/something else?

 

[nmsurobert]

What kind of equipment do the students have access to? Do they have access to telescopes and related equipment?
Did those lab manuals lack activities regarding Uranus, or were they too advanced/required equipment you didn't have access too/something else?

I have a few small telescopes but we are in the heart of the city. also, keeping them after school is going to be tough. i have about 130 astro students. everyone has a computer. i have a few computers that i could put software on if needed.

the lab manuals lack activities. not a single mention of either planet.

 

[TeethWhitener]

One of the most interesting new pieces of research (to me at least) about Uranus/Neptune is the Nice model:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nice_model
which postulates that Uranus and Neptune actually switched positions in the early Solar System (due to orbital interactions of Jupiter and Saturn), and this instability caused the late heavy bombardment of the inner planets as well as the formation of a number of features of the outer Solar System (Jupiter Trojans, resonant trans-Neptunian objects, etc). If you could get your hands on the right software, you might have the students run some--possibly simplified--simulations related to this.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I have a few small telescopes but we are in the heart of the city. also, keeping them after school is going to be tough

It would be helpful if you listed the constraints you have. And, to be honest, daytime astronomy tends to be rather limited.

 

[nmsurobert]

It would be helpful if you listed the constraints you have. And, to be honest, daytime astronomy tends to be rather limited.

i'm looking for something to do inside.

anything done outside, at night is for a club. not for my regular 150 students lol

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm sorry, I meant "It would be helpful if you listed all the constraints you have" I don't think a million-dollar project is what you are interested in. But please don't have us guess.

 

[nmsurobert]

I'm sorry, I meant "It would be helpful if you listed all the constraints you have" I don't think a million-dollar project is what you are interested in. But please don't have us guess.

i don't understand what your asking. All constraints? i don't know. i can't take them outside at night. i have computers that could put some software on if i needed to.

we have a day where we talk about the planet. then we have a day where we do an activity or a lab related to that planet. so far, i have something planned for each planet. something like comparing surface features. or mapping an orbit using a protractor and greatest elongation angle. for jupiter, we look at several mercator projections over some time period and come up with a velocity that the gsp is moving at.

I'm looking for something like that but with uranus or neptune. all i can find online is like coloring book activities.

 

[Drakkith]

How about having your students compare the two 'ice giants'. Have them look into the differences of these two planets. Or have them look into the trajectory of Voyager 2's journey that took it on a flyby of both planets?

 

[Tom.G]

I don't have a specific suggestions, but these links may trigger some ideas for you:

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/uranus/in-depth/
(above found with: https://www.google.com/search?&q=uranus+site:nasa.gov&btnK=Google+Search&oq=uranus+site:nasa.gov)

https://www.google.com/search?&q=uranus+images+nasa

 

[nmsurobert]

How about having your students compare the two 'ice giants'. Have them look into the differences of these two planets. Or have them look into the trajectory of Voyager 2's journey that took it on a flyby of both planets?

It may boil down to me doing that. Instead of having a talk about them make it a little research project.

 

[stefan r]

Liquid nitrogen is always fun.